Money can be a touchy subject. More often than not, people would rather keep to themselves when it comes to what goes in out of their checkbook and bank accounts.

As a result, it can be quite difficult to have those important conversations. That’s especially true with your aging parents, who are likely not used to someone else managing their finances.

To make matters worse, the stigma associated with inquiring about your parents money (i.e. the conniving child who is only looking to cash in after everything is all said and done) can cause a lot of problems for you even though you are genuinely trying to help.

To make things easier on you and your loved ones, throughout this week, we’re going to talk about a few important tips when it comes to talking money with your aging parent–from why it is important, to important information you need to know, and how to get the conversation going.

For today, we’re going to talk about why you should start thinking about talking to your parents about their finances.

Step One: Tread Lightly.

We’re going to stress this point throughout our guide because it is so important when it comes to having these conversations: you must always remember to tread lightly.

Consider your parents point of view when you start asking about their finances. Even though you are genuinely trying to help, your parent might feel ashamed or embarrassed. They were, after all, balancing their checkbooks when you were little and even before then, so keep that in mind as you begin to think about helping them.

Stories like these can be heartbreaking, because not only do they cause trouble for the children–they may also detract from the good memories/image of the parent, which is the last thing anyone wants.

Finding the Right Time.

There is no magic number or time frame for when you should talk to your parents about their finances. Regardless, we suggest having the conversation sooner rather than later. Taking note of their health and looking for signs of trouble (see here and here) is also important when it comes to determining when it is time for talking money. And, as we mentioned above, tread lightly and be considerate of your aging parent–their point of view is important.

Check back on Wednesday when we’ll show you what to look for when it comes time to have the talk about money. In the meantime, let us know what you think by connecting with us on Twitter. We’d love to hear from you!

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or justto say hello!

“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”

As we mentioned in our previous post about the physical signs of knowing when your parent needs help, knowing when to extend a helping hand out to your parents can be rather difficult. This is especially true for those parents who really cherish their independence.

As a result, figuring out when the time is right can require a bit of detective work on your end.

We already covered the physical signs, so today, we’re going to talk about a few of the mental signs that an aging parent needs help. Take a look below:

Not just a senior moment

Your parents may want to shrug off their forgetfulness or mood swings as another one of those senior moments, but the reality is that these can be serious signs of a decline in their health.

While we’re not suggesting that you should self-diagnose these situations as symptoms of dementia or Alzheimers, we do believe it is necessary to be aware of the possibility of these issues. In turn, your preparedness can help a professional make an expert judgment for you.

Here are some signs to help make a more informed decision on the matter:

Though it may be difficult to watch your parents health and well-being decline, taking the initiative to look out for these signs sooner rather than later is one of the best ways to prevent any further problems from developing. In turn, you help to ensure that they maintain and/or improve their health, increasing the chances of them aging comfortably.

If you ever feel concerned about your parents state of health and would like to have your questions answered, please give Encompass a call “we are dedicated to ensuring the best care in all stages of the aging process.

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living “currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa“provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or justto say hello!

“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”

The arrival of the holidays means that caregiver stress is at an all-time high. And despite some caregivers’ thoughts that vacations are impossible when looking after an aging loved one, vacations for caregivers aren’t just possible–they’re recommended. In our featured post, we take a look at a few ways to make taking a vacation easier, so that you can get away from caregiving for a few days and get some much-needed stress relief. [Read more]…

Having discussions about end-of-life care or about end-of-life wishes is never easy. And when having end-of-life care discussions with family members, it’s very easy to become completely overwhelmed. Our 4 tips here make the conversation just a little bit easier, and can hopefully help make honoring your parent’s end-of-life wishes an attainable task. [Read more]…

More than any other time of the year, the holidays–from Thanksgiving to the New Year–are home to large meals and foods that are potentially very unhealthy. Dietary needs often become more restrictive as we age, which is why it’s so essential for our aging loved ones to eat properly. Here, we give a few foods that are both healthy and delicious for our elderly members of the family. [Read more]…

With the holiday season in full swing, it’s hard not to feel a little bit stressed out. That’s especially true for caregivers, who often end up working double or even triple duty during the holidays. That extra stress is why proper time management is so important for caregivers this time of year, and is also why we wrote this post full of tips for properly managing your time. [Read more]…

“Physicians Choice Private Duty solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit us today..”

As we age, everyday tasks become much more difficult for us to accomplish and as a result, the need for assistance may increase.

But the perceived threat of dependence is something that troubles most elderly people, especially when a parent has to rely on his or her own children. As a result, your parent may not outright say they need your help, requiring you to do a little detective work.

Throughout this week, we’re going to talk about the signs, both physical and mental, that show that your parents may need some assistance.

Today, we’re going to concentrate on the physical signs. Although both the physical and mental are intertwined, we’re going to break down the two to make things easier to follow. Take a look below:

Personal Appearance

Your mom or dad has always been well put-together, but lately it seems as if they could not care less about how they take care of their personal appearance. While some may argue that they simply don’t care because they have nothing to prove at their age, it could be a sign that they simply can’t take care of themselves.

They may have an unpleasant body odor because they can no longer shower or bathe themselves

Their grooming habits have significantly decreased

Their clothing is dirtier or more unkempt than usual due to difficulty of washing clothes

Other serious indicators:

They have a significant amount of bruising that they canâ€™t explain

They have difficulty standing up or sitting down

They have difficulty walking, balancing, and with general mobility

Their Home

Along with their appearance, their home may be in disarray because they are unable to perform daily chores such as cleaning and organizing. Here are some more signs:

Piles of unopened mail or a stuffed mailbox

Clutter around the house, such as dirty laundry or pots and pans

Unpleasant order in the house due to trash not being taken out, dirty laundry, or a refrigerator that hasnâ€™t been cleaned out for a long time.

Finding your parent in such a state can be rather disheartening, but taking the proper steps to ensure that they receive the adequate care they need will help to improve their lives significantly.

If you ever feel concerned about your parents state of health and would like to have your questions answered, please give Encompass a call–we are dedicated to ensuring the best care in all stages of the aging process.

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or justto say hello!

“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”

Throughout this week, we’ve given you several guides outlining the pros and cons of flying and driving, as well as other options for traveling with an aging parent.

So, in anticipation of your trip, we’re going to give you a few last-minute tips in order to ensure a stress-free and enjoyable travel experience.

You can find our final tips for traveling with an aging parent below:

Plan ahead

Perhaps the most important tip we can give you is to plan ahead. Making all of the necessary arrangements before you hit the road or get on the plane will make things much easier on you and your aging parent in the long run. Here are a few things we suggest:

Make an itinerary: First things first, where would you like to go? Having a schedule helps put your loved one at ease and allows them to visualize the trip rather than waiting around for you. It also makes them feel like they are a part of the decision making process, and not just a tag along.

Call ahead for special needs: This is extremely important when it comes to flying, but will also be important when driving or taking a cruise. Make sure to let your airline know if you need assistance for checking in, security, and getting from one terminal to the next. If you need special seating arrangements on the plane, it’s best to let them know when you are purchasing the tickets.

Lodging: Make sure to call the hotel and see if they do anything to accommodate seniors (e.g. elevator access, showers/tubs with senior accessibility, etc.).

Check the weather: Figuring out what the weather will be like ahead of time will help to ensure that your loved one is appropriately dressed throughout the trip. This can also potentially lighten the load you’ll need to pack for the trip.

â€œMake a list and check it twice

Making a list is another great way to prepare for a trip. Not only will it keep you organized–it will also guarantee that you have everything you need, such as medicine, documents, and clothes.

Keep the essentials handy

Keep all essential items ready to go in a carry on bag when flying. If you are driving, you should still have these items within arms’ reach. Try to keep a small bag of your essentials in the front of the car instead of the trunk. And, if you are traveling in the summer, make sure to take your medications out of the car when you park, as the hot temperature can ruin your meds.

This might seem like a lot of work, but preparing yourself will do wonders to help make the trip much more relaxing for both you and your loved one. If you have any questions about what you see above, or would like more advice, please give us a call. Weâ€™d love to help make your trip a success!

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or justto say hello!

“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”

On Monday, we gave you the pros and cons of flying for your holiday travels and beyond. Traveling with an aging parent can be difficult, both for you and your loved one.

So, to make things easier, we’re going to talk about more options, along with their pros and cons. Take a look below:

Driving

Pros

Leisurely pace: One of the major advantages to driving is that it allows you to go at your own pace. Not only do you get to pick and choose when you want to get to your destination, you also have the opportunity to take little side trips to along the way.

No deadlines: Along with going at your own pace, driving means no strict deadlines. Sometimes, the hustle and bustle of the airport can be a little intimidating for an aging parent. Having to worry about getting your loved onto the gate can be frustrating and overwhelming for not only yourself, but for your parent as well.

Frequent breaks: Driving also allows you to take frequent breaks, which is great for allowing your aging parent to move around to prevent stiffness that causes muscle and joint discomfort.

Cons

Longer travel time: One major setback of driving is that it takes significantly longer to get to your travel destination. For the parent who doesn’t enjoy traveling, this can be a problem. And, if you only have a certain amount of time to vacation, this shortens the amount of time you have to enjoy yourself at your travel destination, which might defeat the purpose of traveling for some people.

Other considerations: the cruise vacation

We mentioned cruises in our short post on vacationing during the holidays, but the option bears mentioning again. Cruises are very senior-friendly, and many provide services that specifically cater to the elderly. And, cruising is a great way to explore exotic places hassle-free.

If your parents don’t have a fear of water and aren’t prone to motion sickness, this is certainly an option to consider.

Traveling during the holidays can have its ups and downs, but having your options will hopefully make it easier and more enjoyable for you and your aging parent.

Now that you’ve seen some of your options, what you do you think? Do you think your parent would prefer to fly, drive, or take a cruise? Let us know by connecting with us on Twitter!

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or justto say hello!

“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”

Last week, we talked about a few ways to manage your stress during the holiday, from time management, to taking a vacation, to entertaining guests. As a caregiver, taking on double or even triple duty can put a lot of stress not only on you, but on your aging parent as well.

To throw more into that mix of holiday duties/activities, many caregivers have lots of holiday traveling to think of, too.

For most, the holiday travel season can be hectic, but for the caregiver, that’s especially true. Throughout this week, we’re going to give you a few tips on how to prepare for the holiday travels (and beyond) with aging your loved one.

Leading tip: Give them the option between flying or driving

When planning a trip with a loved one, you should always give them the option to choose how they would like to travel. There are a number of reasons why your loved one may choose one option over the other. Today, we are going to give you a primer on one option for traveling with an aging parent: flying.

The pros of flying

Good for long distance: when traveling long distance, flying is a great option because it reduces the amount of time spent traveling.

Security and check-ins: One again, flying can be a bit of a waiting game. Although airlines do provide services that assist with security and check-ins, it can still be pretty intimidating for an elderly parent to be at the mercy of a stranger.

Tight quarters: Another issue that many people take up with flying is the small spaces within the cabins of planes. This can be especially hard for elderly people with disabilities, as it doesn’t give them adequate space to move around, which can cause problems for circulation, muscles, and joints.

Check back on Wednesday to see our pros and cons of driving, as well as other considerations for traveling with an aging parent.

In the mean time, what do you think about flying? Do the pros outweigh the cons, or vice versa? Let us know by connecting with us on Twitter!

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or justto say hello!

“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”

http://private-duty.pchhc.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/07/PHY_LOGO_Priv_Duty_final.png00Physicians Choicehttp://private-duty.pchhc.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/07/PHY_LOGO_Priv_Duty_final.pngPhysicians Choice2013-12-16 12:11:572018-03-25 01:42:35Traveling with an Aging Parent: The Pros and Cons of Flying

One of the ways we talked about managing your stress was stepping aside and letting others host those major holiday parties. But sometimes, that’s just not possible.

Whether it’s because the rest of your family is from out of town and traveling for your aging parent can be difficult, or simply because you really enjoy hosting parties and couldn’t imagine it at anyone else’s home, today, we’re going to talk about a few tips to consider in order to keep the stress low and make your holiday party a good one for your aging loved ones.

Give them their space

Although the family is coming over to see them, some parents may not want to be the life of the party. While this may not be ideal, make sure to give them their space and privacy. For example, have the grandchildren play in the basement or somewhere they can run around freely without causing too much ruckus.

Pestering your parents and scolding them for not wanting to entertain will only put more stress on you and make them feel like a burden. In most cases, your parent might just need time to warm up, especially if they aren’t used to having so many guests over.

Take steps to prevent falls

The hustle and bustle of parties can sometimes prove disastrous for an aging parent, especially when it comes to falling. Here are a few ways to prevent any problems:

Clean up wet spots. Parties can produce a lot of heavy traffic in and out of the house. As a result, tracking snow into the house is inevitable. Keep an eye out for wet spots and try to make sure boots and any wet clothing can dry above a winter doormat.

Keep clutter to a minimum. With so many people running around, there is certainly a chance for clutter to build up. We already mentioned keeping children out of the way, but make sure there aren’t any wandering toys that might happen to pop up around the dinner table. Pets should also be kept an eye on, and try to make sure there is always a clear path in and around heavily trafficked areas (e.g. sliding chairs back under the table).

Have a helper

Trying to juggle the role of caregiver and host can be really difficult. In this case, it might be a good idea to hire or have a volunteer watch over your aging parent throughout the party. That way, you know they are properly being taken care of throughout the night, giving you more time to concentrate on your guests.

Holidays can be tough, especially when our duties seem to double, but taking the time to prepare yourself with these simple tips can help ease the tension and making whatever holiday festivities you are planning a success. And, if you ever need any advice, give Encompass a call. We’d love to hear from you!

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and WesternÂ Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric careÂ options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get yourÂ free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or justÂ to say hello!

“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”

The holiday season should be a time to de-stress. Aside from spending time with your family, many people also take the opportunity to vacation during the holidays.

Despite what you may think, caregivers can also take a little vacation from caring for their loved ones. With plenty of respite-care programs now available (both in-home and at a facility), caregivers can now step away and enjoy some much-needed vacation time.

Today, we’re going to talk about why a vacation is good for you, and a few vacation options to consider. But before we do that, let’s address a common misconception:

In short, no, taking a vacation away from caring for your loved ones is not selfish. As we mentioned in the past, having a little me-time is necessary when it comes to caregiving. Not only is it important for your own health, physically and mentally, but it also helps to maintain a positive relationship between you and your loved one. Taking the time to recuperate can do wonders for you and your loved one.

With that out of the way, here are some vacation tips we have for you:

Make it short and sweet. While it might be nice to take a long vacation, that’s not always possible. Think about short weekend trips to somewhere nearby. The shorter the flying/driving time the better. This may not be as nice as a long vacation, but still gives you a much-needed break and the time to get away from caregiver stress.

Consider a stay-cation. Just because you’re taking a vacation doesn’t mean it needs to be out of town. A stay-cation can be a great way to get out of the house for a few days. Perhaps a few days at a spa or hotel in a part of town you rarely visit is all you need to rejuvenate. And, being just a phone call away from your parents can put them at ease, making it much easier for you to enjoy your break.

Elder-friendly traveling. If you don’t feel comfortable leaving your parents at home, consider taking them on a trip with you. There are plenty of travel options now, such as cruises, that accommodate the elderly, giving you and your parents the ability to relax and enjoy yourselves.

Everyone deserves a good rest every once in a while. Taking the time out of your busy life to de-stress can do a lot to improve your health, and most importantly, the quality of care for a loved one.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about any of the information above, please feel free to contact us. We’d love to help make this holiday season (and many to come) as stress-free as possible!

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and WesternÂ Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric careÂ options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get yourÂ free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or justÂ to say hello!

“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”

But eating isn’t the only concern on the minds of caregivers as the holiday festivities approach us. During the holiday season, we tend to take on a few extra duties, whether that’s shopping for gifts, prepping for holiday parties, or getting together travel arrangements. Combined with the duties of caregiving, this can cause quite a bit of stress.

This week, we’ll cover several ways to balance your caregiver/holiday duties to help create a stress-free holiday season.

To kick of our series, we’re going to talk about one of the most important caregiver stress reducers during the holidays: time management.

Managing your time is extremely important when it comes to juggling all of your duties during the holidays. By giving yourself adequate time to complete all of your tasks, youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ll have a better chance at reducing any unnecessary stress. Take a look below to see our tips:

Don’t bite off more than you can chew. In the past, you might’ve been the host for all of the major holiday dinner parties. But now that you’re taking care of your loved one full time, that might need to change.

Knowing your boundaries can help ease the tension of the holidays. If you feel like hosting a dinner party will be too daunting, then it’s best to leave to someone else. You probably still want to try to take on a lot, but remember how many other caregiving obligations you have, too.

Don’t feel guilty about asking someone else to host, or even asking someone to help with the holiday shopping. Putting that stress on yourself affects both you and the loved ones you’re caring for, and falling into that kind of negative cycle can cause a lot of problems.

Ask for a helping hand. As we mentioned above, sometimes, you just have to ask others for help. Whether you need them to finish up some holiday shopping, or even just take care of your loved one while you get away and shake some of that caregiver stress, having the backup of your family and friends is another great way to help manage your time.

If there are days when your family and friends might be too busy to help, consider a respite care program–knowing that your elderly parent is in the hands of a professional can put you at ease and let you enjoy your time away from home.

Holidays can be tough, especially when our duties seem to double. Taking a moment to step back from your schedule and manage your caregiver stress can to a lot to make this holiday season great. And if you ever need advice, just give Encompass a call. We’d be more than happy to help!

Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living currently serving Omaha, Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa provides seniors and their families a complete understanding of geriatric care options and helps families maneuver through the challenges of the system. Get your free Cost Comparison guide by clicking here. Or contact us for a free consultation or justto say hello!

“Physicians’ Choice Private Duty Assisted Living solves the challenges families face in caring for aging parents, with a focus on strategies that keep them in their homes. To learn more about our solutions, visit http://www.private-duty.pchhc.com.”

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Physician's Choice Private Duty provides comprehensive living strategies for seniors and their families. Our program is designed and administered by experienced, licensed medical workers and registered nurses. We focus on evaluating every aspect of a senior's condition and their home environment.